Happy Groundhog’s Day, Candlemas, Pidyon Ha-Ben,Imbolc, Lughnasadh, Thesmophoria, Farewell to Lords of Misrule’s Trickster phase, etc.

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More lovely pics received for my bday!

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I didn’t see my shadow this morning. No more cold?

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Well, I got my Nose buttered twice by BHK already – (In a few places around the world, the traditional birthday trick is what is often known as ‘grease face.’ The same custom is known in parts of the Maritime provinces of Canada as ‘buttered noses.’ As early as is convenient on the birthday someone tries to reach from behind the birthday boy or girl and dab on their nose a fingerful of grease, often butter. This is accompanied by best wishes for the year, now lubricated with the greasy face. Among schoolchildren this custom sometimes takes the form of pushing a sweet, creamy cake in the face) (See also BHK’s entry from about 6 years or so ago)

Also, my morning was brought to a lovely start with blueberry pancakes and a cheese omelet for b’day breakfast. YUM!

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Candlemas Day (February 2nd) is known as “La fête de la chandeleur” among the francophones of the West Coast and is celebrated with a beribboned bachelor King visiting houses of eligible young women. Elsewhere in the province it is known as a day to watch for bears’ shadows in order to predict the weather. Candlemas Day is the same date as the American Groundhog Day but retains the old Christian calendar name, which derives from the tradition of blessing the annual supply of church candles on that day, the official end of the liturgical Christmas season. In older European traditions, bears step outside their hibernation caves to check the weather on February 2nd. If it is fine they will stay out for the remainder of the season. In Newfoundland this belief has remained more or less intact in the rhyme “If Candlemas Day be clear and fine, the rest of winter is left behind; If Candlemas Day be rough and grum, there’s more of winter left to come” (cf. Hiscock 1996:35).

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1 year ago – I’m 37, dance monkeys dance, afterlife quiz, kind wishes, 40 faces, ID, Danny Sick

2 years ago – I’m 36, no shadow, cleaned Mel’s system, under the bed, birthday type pics

3 years ago – I’m 35, Birthday factoids, walkies

4 years ago – I’m 34, the Museum F Art, Tinkle-pig, Newt, and other palm-cam pics, Groundhogs seek sex, not shadows

5 years ago – I’m 33, saw my shadow, blah day, daredevil, nice end of day

6 years ago – I’m 32, many holidays, nice ecards, saw my shadow, got my moonmama penguin pic

7 years ago – I’m 31

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